21.   Payless reported flat sales for its third quarter with net income dropping sharply.

22.   Over the last several years, the company has faced growing competition, flat sales, heavy debt and management turmoil.

23.   Over the last several years, the company has faced growing competition, flat sales, rising debt and management turmoil.

24.   Prada Group, which is not a public company, is projecting flat sales for the year.

25.   Some bands are also finding record sales flat.

26.   The company attributed that shortfall to flat sales in Europe and the financial crisis in Russia.

27.   The company also overcame its previous warnings of flat sales for the quarter.

28.   The Fed said that sales were lower for cement and wood products in Texas, and many semiconductor makers are reporting flat sales.

29.   The merger comes just as book publishing is shivering from flat sales, large returns from booksellers and the rocketing advances, among other perceived horrors.

30.   The result has been flat sales and depressed profits for most of the big retailers.